Include 'Yoga' in CCE activities and give grades for it : CBSE to schools

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has advised schools to include yoga as an activity for assessment under Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE) of students and provide grades for it in the report card.

The Board has also asked schools to see to it that the controversial 'Common Yoga protocol', developed by the Ministry of AYUSH, which begins with the chanting of 'Om' and Shlokas, is regularly practised by children of classes VI and above.

In a circular issued to Principals of all affliated schools, CBSE secretary Joseph Emmanuel has asked them to participate in the International Yoga day events on "voluntary basis" and advised them to carry out activities for the whole academic year so as to "make it a part of daily school routine."

Referring to the protocol devised by the AYUSH Ministry, senior CBSE officials suggested that "the common yoga protocol must regularly be practised by the children of class VI and above."

Several muslim organisations have raised questions over chanting of 'Om' as suggested under the protocol. AYUSH Ministry officials have, however, maintained that it was not mandatory.

In the circular, the senior CBSE official also said that the entire school's population may participate in mass yoga demonstration "at least once a week early in the morning during assembly hours."

CBSE has also asked schools to send one yoga or physical education teacher for a certification course being organised by AYUSH Ministry in collaboration with Quality Council of India.When contacted, a CBSE official said that yoga is already listed as an activity under the CCE activities, and the circular has only reiterated that.